From: "Duane" <macastronomer@mac.com>
Date: February 4, 2006 1:05:57 PM MST
To: Astro_IIDC@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: Saturn at Opposition
Hi Jim,
Sorry for the slow response. Too much stuff to do :(
I'm not sure of the exact temp, but I'm going to take a guess that it was in the teens to
20s fahrenheit (so around -5 celsius if my conversion is accurate). I'm pretty thick
skinned so it may have been colder. I know one guys wife who got in a sleeping bag, in the
car and couldn't keep warm enough. It was also a battle to fight ice on everything. (always
bring a blow dryer).
My Meade controller was reading surprisingly well. However, it wasn't responding to
button pushes all that well. I've been out at -10 F ( two years ago) and couldn't read it
unless I stuck it in my coat for a while.
I didn't think the seeing was the best I've had there (at Eagle Bluff in Lanesboro, MN) but I
wonder if it does help to be at a dark sky for this. Or maybe it was just the lack of warm
buildings causing local turbulence.
That was shot through my 8" Meade LX200 GPS UHTC. I didn't use any barlows on thats,
strictly prime. Being between 1:00-2:00am at opposition, it was almost straight up which
helps a lot.
Thanks for the compliment. I need them to keep me going :)
I posted one more that turned out slightly better than the last. Same night, just got around
to process more after I posted. It's called: Saturn_2_Duane_01_27_06.jpg
Hopefully I get another opportunity before we sail too far away. Otherwise, Jupiter's my
next target.
Duane
--- In Astro_IIDC@yahoogroups.com, "jimchung2338" <jim_chung@...> wrote:
Duane,
It I could image Saturn that well I'd be a happy man! What scope are you using and I'm
curious as to how cold it really was. I've been out this winter in -15 C and you can
barely
read the Autostar display.
Jim